Fruits and vegetables ripe in spring and how you can incorporate them into yummy seasonal dishes

Spring is a time when there are tons of fruits and vegetables in season and ready to be used in delicious dishes. 

Below are fruits and vegetables that are in season during the spring, according to the Department of Agriculture.

In addition, you'll also find inspiration on how to incorporate these seasonal fruits and vegetables into your spring snacks and meals. 

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Check out these 27 items!

1. Apricots
2. Asparagus
3. Avocados
4. Apples
5. Bananas
6. Broccoli
7. Cabbage
8. Carrots
9. Celery
10. Collard greens
11. Garlic
12. Herbs
13. Kale
14. Kiwifruit
15. Lemons
16. Lettuce
17. Limes
18. Mushrooms
19. Onions
20. Peas
21. Pineapples
22. Radishes
23. Rhubarb
24. Spinach
25. Strawberries
26. Swiss chard
27. Turnips

1. Apricots

Apricots are a fruit that make a delicious topping in a salad.

They can also be used to make tasty apricot jam, or can be grilled and added to a barbecue skewer. 

2. Asparagus

Asparagus pairs well with meat, especially with steak or chicken. 

The vegetable is super easy to season. You can grill or blanch asparagus spears, cook them on the stove or in the oven.

Asparagus is delicious alone seasoned with salt and lemon juice. If you're hoping to get more creative, wrap them in prosciutto, include them in a salad — or use them as toppings on a veggie pizza.

3. Avocados

Avocados contain healthy fats and can be used in a variety of ways.

Whip up homemade guacamole, slice it into a wrap or on a sandwich, include it in a salad or create a stunning display of avocado toast for a delicious and healthy breakfast.

4. Apples

Apples are in season year round, according to the Department of Agriculture, including in the spring. 

To serve apples with a springtime flare, chop them up and put them on top of a salad or inside a yummy turkey wrap. You can also add apples, along with cranberries, to a chicken salad.

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Of course, apple slices dunked in caramel or peanut butter are tasty any time of year.

5. Bananas

Bananas are a filling and healthy item to include in a fruit salad or a smoothie.

One of the best-use cases for bananas is a banana split topped with whipped cream, nuts and a cherry.

For the kids, spread peanut butter on a piece of toast and add banana slices for breakfast, lunch or a snack.

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Bananas are a delicious addition to breakfast foods like French toast or pancakes. Use them for banana muffins, banana bread or Bananas Foster. The opportunities to use the yellow fruit are many.

6. Broccoli

Elevate your filet and mashed potato dinner with a side of broccoli or broccolini.

Mix cooked broccoli with Alfredo pasta or include it in your veggie tray at a cook out. 

7. Cabbage

While cabbage is hugely popular on St. Patrick's Day, you can also use cabbage to make coleslaw. It's perfect for a barbecue or in a stir-fry. Coleslaw is delicious with a mayo or oil base.

8. Carrots

Carrots are a great addition to plenty of dishes or used as a snack with hummus or creamy dressing. Add carrots to your chili, slice or chop them for a salad or bake them in the oven and serve with a beautiful turkey. 

9. Celery

Celery makes a great spring snack, whether dipped in ranch dressing, cut up and added to salad or used to make "ants on a log."

To make ants on a log, cut the celery stalk in half. Fill it up with peanut butter and push raisins into the peanut butter to act as the "ants" and serve to the kids as a fun, healthy snack.

10. Collard greens

Collard greens can be added to green juice or used in a southern feast, made complete with cornbread and fried chicken.

When preparing collard greens, remove the stems, wash them well and season to perfection. 

11. Garlic

Fresh garlic can be used to season an assortment of dishes. Some of the most delicious ways to include fresh garlic in recipes include roasting in the oven and topping on homemade focaccia bread, adding to homemade salad dressings, using in a steak marinade, adding to homemade pasta sauce and so much more.

12. Herbs

Herbs include anything from basil to parsley to dill and everything in between. Herbs are great for seasoning nearly any dish. 

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Having fresh herbs on hand in your kitchen will come in handy while cooking. The sweet, spicy and savory flavors of herbs add so much to dishes.

13. Kale

Kale is a popular ingredient in both green juice and green smoothies.

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A green juice or green smoothie is a refreshing and very healthy beverage to enjoy on those warmer spring days.

14. Kiwifruit

Add kiwi to smoothies or make a refreshing kiwi lemonade.

15. Lemons

Lemons can be used in a variety of ways, from including in salad dressings to homemade cheesecake recipes to spritzing on cocktails.

Fresh lemon juice is a delicious citrus addition to lots of foods and drinks. Lemons also make for a great garnish.

16. Lettuce

Salad recipes are becoming increasingly popular in the spring and summer months. Lettuce is a great starter for a wide variety of recipes. You can make taco salads, salads topped with chicken, salmon or steak, salads with fruit like apples and strawberries, etc. 

You can use large lettuce leaves to act as the shell for tacos or lettuce wraps if you're looking to cut carbs.

17. Limes

Limes can be used to make a refreshing margarita, in lime crema to be drizzled over chicken or tacos or as an added ingredient in guacamole.

18. Mushrooms

Mushrooms can be added to creamy pasta dishes, cooked in a skillet with chicken, steak or pork, or grilled with roasted peppers and onions. 

Add them to city chicken skewers or burgers for additional flavor and texture.

19. Onions

If you love onions, you are set to enjoy most recipes with the vegetable. Onions offer amazing flavor to endless dishes from sausage, peppers and onions to omelets and salads to homemade sauces and soups. The number of different recipes that include onions are endless.

20. Peas

Peas are a common side dish and can be seasoned with butter, garlic, salt, pepper and a little bit of sugar for some extra flavor.

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21. Pineapples

In the springtime, pineapples are a refreshing snack that you can simply cut up into cubes and enjoy throughout the day. You can also grill pineapple to add to a skewer, use small pineapple chunks in pork tacos or add them to a flatbread pizza.

22. Radishes

You can include radishes in tacos or salads or grill them for a side dish to your steaks or burgers. You can also pickle radishes or roast them in the oven.

23. Rhubarb

Rhubarb is a vegetable in season in the spring. They resemble a piece of celery and are often found in a reddish/pink color. 

You can use rhubarb to make a pink-colored stew, or you can put it into a smoothie mixed with other fruits and vegetables. 

24. Spinach

Spinach is delicious in calzones, omelets and pasta dishes. Spinach pairs well in creamy pasta dishes and artichoke dip.

25. Strawberries

Use fresh strawberries to make your own chocolate-covered strawberries, delicious strawberry shortcake dessert, smoothies, salads or in a breakfast açaí bowl. 

26. Swiss chard

The leafy vegetable makes a great addition to a spring salad, pasta dishes or can be seared or sautéed for a yummy side dish.

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27. Turnips

Rounding out this list of seasonal fruits and vegetables in the spring are turnips.

Turnips can be used in a large variety of dishes. Two popular ways to cook with turnips are mashing or roasting.

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